FGCU scientists and South Florida Water Management District in collaboration with local, state and federal agencies are involved in a project that creates and restores oyster reefs in Estero Bay (two 200 square meters), thereby improving water quality, habitat availability, as well as protecting shoreline and mangrove erosion.

Work involves loading fossil oyster shells into wire mesh bags, transporting them and placing them in strategic points in the estuaries that attract natural oyster spat (larvae) and eventually form reefs.

Within one year, the 400 square meters of oyster reef created at this event will produce more than 1,000 oysters per square meter, filter at least 10 liters of water and particulates per oyster per hour from the water column, provide stability to mangrove shorelines by minimizing the impact of boat wakes, and provide food, shelter and habitat to nearly 300 species of invertebrates, fishes and birds.

South Florida Water Management District funded this project.

For more information on this project, please contact professor of Marine and Environmental Science Aswani Volety, chair of Marine and Ecological Sciences at (239) 590-7216 or avolety@fgcu.edu.